Neetu Singh: 'I am a fitness junkie'

By Hindustan Times

Mumbai, Sept. 10 -- Ranbir Kapoor's mother Neetu Singh looks a million bucks even at 53. Her secret, she says, is "regular exercise for the past 30 years." Currently the mother of two, and grandmother of one, is experimenting with TRX, an exercise module she became interested in during her trip to the US last year. She says, "I do TRX thrice a week, and alternate it with Zumba (Latin dance-exercise technique) for cardio workouts a couple of times in the week."

Neetu is a firm believer in inculcating workouts in her daily routine, which she thinks is just as important as brushing teeth. She says, "Our body needs some kind of workout. 'Khana kha rahe ho to thoda kasar bhi karni padegi' (If you eat, then you need to exercise as well.) You cannot be lazy."

Neetu informs TRX is a suspension workout done with the help of two bands, which can be fit anywhere in the house or outside. For the exercise, you are suspended from the ceiling. She says, "The best part about this exercise is that it works on the core of the body and the back. If those two are strong, you are strong. You can stand straight, even sit on your haunches." One can even do squats and lunges on TRX.

Though TRX is a new addition to her routine, Neetu says she has always been experimenting with her exercise routines. She says, "I am a fitness junkie. It basically started with wanting to make Rishi (Kapoor) fit. He never listened to me. But thankfully, (children) Riddhima and Ranbir take after me as far as fitness is concerned. Both love to work out. I am not a big promoter of being size zero. One's energy levels should be good."

Since there were no gyms when Neetu started working out 30 years ago, she used to get Jane Fonda DVDs, and follow the exercises on her own. She also used to walk briskly with her friends until she discovered Bharat Thakur's yoga. She says, "I did that for five years and then joined a gym for a couple of years. Now I work out on TRX at home with my personal trainer Aditya Chaudhary."

She adds, "He innovates exercises on TRX. I call it ATRX (A for Aditya) With this exercise, results start showing within a month. You don't have to complete 200 crunches to get a chiselled core. You just do 30 seconds on TRX and you're in form."

Neetu says her favourite is the plank exercise on TRX, where one is suspended over the ground for 10 seconds. She says, "I can do it for 45 seconds now, and aim to increase it to a minute and a half. It is a very difficult exercise as your feet are not on the floor; they're in the air. Your hands are on the floor, so your core gets stretched and torn."

Neetu feels TRX is also good for injuries and has realised that her aches and pains lessened after trying this exercise. She informs, "In this form of exercise, you don't carry excess weight or dumbbells. You work with your own body weight."